2022 Real Estate Predictions: What to Expect From the Market

When the COVID-19 outbreak took the world by storm in March 2020, there were many uncertainties. With all the chaos and unknowns, few could have predicted that the pandemic would ultimately spur one of the most competitive and tight housing markets in both U.S. and Canadian history. Between August 2020 and August 2021, home prices across the United States and Canada rose to record levels, with the U.S. housing market rising to a record of 19.9% and the Canadian housing market rising to a record 21.4%. 

While these prices have been a home seller's dream, it has also made buying a home much more difficult over the past year and a half. So, what can home sellers and home buyers expect to move in 2022? Will the market continue to rise, stay the same, or finally see a steady decline? Read on to discover more about all the predictions for the 2022 real estate market. 

Will the 2022 Real Estate Market Run Bullish or Bearish?

When it comes to predicting markets, you will always have experts on both sides of the discussion. So while some experts are predicting a bullish outlook for the 2022 real estate market where home prices continue to rise, others are predicting a bearish outlook where home prices will start to trend down. 

Of course, with home prices hitting record levels of growth, even faster than that experienced in the run-up to the 2008 financial crisis, the current market will not be sustainable forever. 

However, the question is not if the market will trend down, but when.

Will the real estate market come to a crashing halt in 2022, or will it slow gradually? Check out all the expert predictions regarding the 2022 real estate market below. 

Will Home Prices Rise, Fall, or Stay Steady in 2022?

People have been calling the Canadian real estate market situation "unsustainable" for almost a decade!

 While there are many predictions regarding the 2022 real estate market, the general consensus is that the market will cool off in both the United States and Canada, but not by much. 

The Financial Post predicts there is no real relief in sight. That the number of sales may go down, but that is because the lack of inventory to purchase is not expected to increase much.

Record low mortgage rates and buyers’ desire for more space provided the major plotlines for Canadian real estate in 2021. What forces might shape the market next year?

The most obvious pick at this point is higher interest rates. With inflation hitting an 18-year high in October, the Bank of Canada is expected to respond by raising its overnight rate multiple times in 2022.

Ultimately,  at this time, it looks like the 2022 real estate market will still strongly favor home sellers rather than home buyers. The supply of homes for sale is near record lows, and the gap between supply and demand is only widening. However, with the right real estate agent, finding a new home in 2022 is still certainly possible.